"Questions That Tend Not to Edification"

Below are two versions of this traditional teaching of the Buddha, as well as some background information. For a printable version of this text, click here.

Background Information:

Malunkyaputta
Malunkyaputta had studied Hindu philosophy before becoming a monk and was therefore interested in the questions which Hindu philosophers of the day posed, particularly with regard to existence.

Tathagata
Tathagata is a term most commonly used by the Buddha in referring to himself. Its meaning is perhaps "he who has arrived" meaning, "liberation" or Nirvana.

 


Version I

Thus have I heard:

On a certain occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jetavana monastery in Anathapindika’s Park. Now it happened to the venerable Malunkyaputta, being in seclusion and plunged in meditation, that a consideration presented itself to his mind, as follows:—

"These theories which the Blessed One has left unelucidated, has sat aside and rejected,—that the world is eternal, that the world is not eternal, that the world is finite, that the world is infinite, that the soul and the body are identical, that the soul is one thing and the body another, that the saint exists after death, that the saint does not exist after death, that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death,—these the Blessed One does not elucidate to me. And the fact that the Blessed One does not elucidate them to me does not please me nor suit me. Therefore I will draw near to the Blessed One and inquire of him concerning this matter. If the Blessed One will elucidate to me, either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, or that the world is finite, or that the world is infinite, or that the soul and the body are identical, or that the soul is one thing and the body another, or that the saint exists after death, or that the saint does not exist after death, or that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, in that case will I lead the religious life under the Blessed One. If the Blessed One will not elucidate to me, either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, ... or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, in that case will I abandon religious training and return to the lower life of a layman."

Then the venerable Malunkyaputta arose at eventide from his seclusion, and drew near to where the Blessed One was, and having drawn near and greeted the Blessed One, he sat down respectfully at one side. And seated respectfully at one side, the venerable Malunlkyaputta spoke to the Blessed One as follows:—

"Reverend Sir, it happened to me, as I was just now in seclusion and plunged in meditation, that a consideration presented itself to my mind, as follows: ‘These theories which the Blessed One has left unelucidated, has set aside and rejected,—that the world is eternal, that the world is not eternal, . . . that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death,—these the Blessed One does not elucidate to me. And the fact that the Blessed One does not elucidate them to me does not please me nor suit me. I will draw near to the Blessed One and inquire of him concerning this matter. If the Blessed One will elucidate to me, either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, in that case will I lead the religious life under the Blessed One. If the Blessed One will not elucidate to me, either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, in that case will I abandon religious training and return to the lower life of a layman."

"If the Blessed One knows that the world is eternal, let the Blessed One elucidate to me that the world is eternal, if the Blessed One knows that the world is not eternal, let the Blessed One elucidate to me that the world is not eternal. If the Blessed One does not know either that the world is eternal or that the world is not eternal, the only upright thing for one who does not know, or who has not that insight, is to say, ‘I do not know, I have not that insight.’

"If the Blessed One knows that the world is finite,..."

"If the Blessed One knows that the soul and the body are identical,..."

"If the Blessed One knows that the saint exists after death,…"

"If the Blessed One knows that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, let the Blessed One elucidate to me that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, if the Blessed One knows that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, let the Blessed One elucidate to me that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death. If the Blessed One does not know either that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, the only upright thing for one who does not know, or who has not that insight, is to say, ‘I do not know, I have not that insight."’

"Pray, Malunkyaputta, did I ever say to you, ‘Come, Malunkyaputta, lead the religious life under me, and I will elucidate to you either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death?’"

"Nay, verily, Reverend Sir."

"Or did you ever say to me, ‘Reverend Sir, I will lead the religious life under the Blessed One, on condition that the Blessed One elucidate to me either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death?’"

"Nays verily, Reverend Sir."

"So you acknowledge, Malunkyaputta, that I have not said to you, Malunkyaputta, lead the religious life under me and I will elucidate to you either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death;’ and again that you have not said to me, ‘Reverend Sir, I will lead the religious life under the Blessed One, on condition that the Blessed One elucidate to me either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ That being the case, vain man, whom are you so angrily denouncing?

"Malunkyaputta, any one who should say, ‘I will not lead the religious life under the Blessed One until the Blessed One shall elucidate to me either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death;’—that person would die, Malunkyaputta, before the Tathagata had ever elucidated this to him.

" It is as if, Malunkyaputta, a man had been wounded by an arrow thickly smeared with poison, and his friends and companions, his relatives and kinsfolk, were to procure for him a physician or surgeon; and the sick man were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the man who wounded me belonged to the warrior caste, or to the Brahman caste, or to the agricultural caste, or to the menial caste.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt the name of the man who wounded me, and to what clan he belongs.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the man who wounded me was tall, or short, or of the middle height.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the man who wounded me was black, or dusky, or of a yellow skin.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the man who wounded me was from this or that village, or town, or city.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the bow which wounded me was a capa, or a kodanda.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the bow-string which wounded me was made from swallow-wort, or bamboo, or sinew, or maruva, or from milk-weed.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the shaft which wounded me was a kaccha or a ropima.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the shaft which wounded me was feathered from the wings of a vulture, or of a heron, or of a falcon, or of a peacock, or of a sithilahanu.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the shaft which wounded me was wound round with the sinews of an ox, or of a buffalo, or of a ruru deer, or of a monkey.’

"Or again he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow taken out until I have learnt whether the arrow which wounded me was an ordinary arrow, or a claw-headed arrow, or a vekanda, or an iron arrow, or a calf-tooth arrow, or a karavirapatta.’ That man would die, Malunkyaputta, without ever having learnt this.

"In exactly the same way, Malunkyaputta, any one who should say, ‘I will not lead the religious life under the Blessed One until the Blessed One shall elucidate to me either that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, . . . or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death"—that person would die, Malunkyaputta, before the Tathagata had ever elucidated this to him."

"The religious life, Malunkyaputta, does not depend on the dogma that the world is eternal; nor does the religious life, Malunkyaputta, depend on the dogma that the world is not eternal. Whether the dogma obtain, Malunkyaputta, that the world is eternal, or that the world is not eternal, there still remain birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, misery, grief, and despair, for the extinction of which in the present life I am prescribing.

"The religious life, Malunkyaputta, does not depend on the dogma that the world is finite; . . .

"The religious life, Malunkyaputta, does not depend on the dogma that the soul and the body are identical; …

"The religious life, Malunkyaputta, does not depend on the dogma that the saint exists after death; . . .

" The religious life, Malunkyaputta, does not depend on the dogma that the saint both exists and does not exist after death; nor does the religious life, Malunkyaputta, depend on the dogma that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death. Whether the dogma obtain, Malunkyaputta, that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, or that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, there still remain birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, misery, grief, and despair, for the extinction of which in the present life I am prescribing.

"Accordingly, Malunkyaputta, bear always in mind what it is that I have not elucidated, and what it is that I have elucidated. And what, Malunkyaputta, have I not elucidated? I have not elucidated, Malunkyaputta, that the world is eternal; I have not elucidated that the world is not eternal; I have not elucidated that the world is finite; I have not elucidated that the world is infinite; I have not elucidated that the soul and the body are identical; I have not elucidated that the soul is one thing and the body another; I have not elucidated that the saint exists after death; I have not elucidated that the saint does not exist after death; I have not elucidated that the saint both exists and does not exist after death; I have not elucidated that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death. And why, Malunkyaputta, have I not elucidated this? Because, Malunkyaputta, this profits not, nor has to do with the fundamentals of religion, nor tends to aversion, absence of passion, cessation, quiescence, the supernatural faculties, supreme wisdom, and Nirvana; therefore have I not elucidated it.

"And what, Malunkyaputta, have I elucidated? Misery (dukkha), Malunkyaputta, have I elucidated; the origin of misery have I elucidated; the cessation of misery have I elucidated; and the path leading to the cessation of misery have I elucidated. And why, Malunkyaputta, have I elucidated this? Because, Malunkyaputta, this does profit, has to do with the fundamentals of religion, and tends to aversion, absence of passion, cessation, quiescence, knowledge, supreme wisdom, and Nirvana; therefore have I elucidated it. Accordingly, Malunkyaputta, bear always in mind what it is that I have not elucidated, and what it is that I have elucidated."

Thus spake the Blessed One; and, delighted, the venerable Malunkyaputta applauded the speech of the Blessed One.

 

Questions Which Do Not Lead To Edification

Version II

Thus have I heard:

On a certain occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jetavana monastery in Anathapindika’s Park. Then drew near Vaccha, the wandering ascetic, to where the Blessed One was; and having drawn near, he greeted the Blessed One; and having passed the compliments of friendship and civility, he sat down respectfully at one side. And seated respectfully at one side, Vaccha, the wandering ascetic, spoke to the Blessed One as follows:—

"How is it, Gautama? Does Gautama hold that the world is eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?"

"Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the world is eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false."

"But how is it, Gautama? Does Gautama hold that the world is not eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?"

"Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the World is not eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false."

"How is it, Gautama? Does Gautama hold that the world is finite,…"

"How is it, Gautama? Does Gautama hold that the soul and the body are identical,..."

"How is it, Gautama? Does Gautama hold that the saint exists after death,…"

"How is it, Gautama? Does Gautama hold that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?"

"Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false."

"But how is it, Gautama? Does Gautama hold that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?"

Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false."

"How is it, Gautama, that when you are asked, ‘Does the monk Gautama hold that the world is eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’ you reply, ‘Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the world is eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’

"But how is it, Gautama, that when you are asked, ‘Does the monk Gautama hold that the world is not eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’ you reply, ‘Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the world is not eternal, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’

"How is it, Gautama, that when you are asked, ‘Does Gautama hold that the world is finite,...?’

"How is it, Gautama, that when you are asked, ‘Does Gautama hold that the soul and the body are identical,...?’

"How is it, Gautama, that when you are asked, Does Gautama hold that the saint exists after death,...?’

"How is it, Gautama, that when you are asked, ‘Does the monk Gautama hold that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’ you reply, ‘Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the saint both exists and does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’

"But how is it, Gautama, that when you are asked, ‘Does the monk Gautama hold that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’ you reply, ‘ Nay, Vaccha. I do not hold that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, and that this view alone is true, and every other false?’ What objection does Gautama perceive to these theories that he has not adopted any one of them?"

"Vaccha, the theory that the world is eternal, is a jungle, a wilderness, a puppet-show, a writhing, and a fetter, and is coupled with misery, ruin, despair, and agony, and does not tend to aversion, absence of passion, cessation, quiescence, knowledge, supreme wisdom, and Nirvana.

[The intervening paragraphs which make the same reply to each of the assertions Vaccha mentions are omitted.]

"Vaccha, the theory that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death, is a jungle, a wilderness, a puppet-show, a writhing, and a fetter, and is coupled with misery, ruin, despair, and agony, and does not tend to aversion, absence of passion, cessation, quiescence, knowledge, supreme wisdom, and Nirvana.

"This is the objection I perceive to these theories, so that I have not adopted any one of them."

"But has Gautama any theory of his own?"

"The Tathagata, O Vaccha, is free from all theories; but this, Vaccha, does the Tathagata know,—the nature of form, and how form arises, and how form perishes; the nature of sensation, and how sensation arises, and how sensation perishes; the nature of perception, and how perception arises, and how perception perishes; the nature of the psychic constructions, and how the psychic constructions arise, and how the psychic constructions perish; the nature of consciousness, and how consciousness arises, and how consciousness perishes. Therefore say I that the Tathagata has attained deliverance and is free from attachment, inasmuch as all imaginings, or agitations, or proud thoughts concerning a self or anything pertaining to a self, have perished, have faded away, have ceased, have been given up and relinquished."

"But, Gautama, where is the monk reborn who has attained to this deliverance for his mind?"

"Vaccha, to say that he is reborn would not fit the case."

"Then, Gautama, he is not reborn."

"Vaccha, to say that he is not reborn would not fit the case."

"Then, Gautama, he is both reborn and is not reborn."

"Vaccha, to say that he is both reborn and not reborn would not fit the case."

"Then, Gautama, he is neither reborn nor not reborn."

"Vaccha, to say that he is neither reborn nor not reborn would not fit the case."

"When I say to you, ‘But, Gautama, where is the monk reborn who has attained to this deliverance for his mind?’ you reply, ‘Vaccha, to say that he is reborn would not fit the case.’ And when I say to you, ‘Then, Gautama, he is not reborn,’ you reply, ‘Vaccha, to say that he is not reborn would not fit the case.’ And when I say to you, ‘Then, Gautama, he is both reborn and not reborn,’ you reply, ‘Vaccha, to say that he is both reborn and not reborn would not fit the case.’ And when I say to you, ‘Then, Gautama, he is neither reborn nor not reborn,’ you reply, ‘ Vaccha, to say that he is neither reborn nor not reborn would not fit the case.’ Gautama, I am at a loss what to think in this matter, and I have become greatly confused, and the faith in Gautama inspired by a former conversation has now disappeared."

"Enough, O Vaccha! Be not at a loss what to think in this matter, and be not greatly confused. Profound, O Vaccha, is this doctrine, recondite, and difficult of comprehension, good, excellent, and not to be reached by mere reasoning, subtile, and intelligible only to the wise; and it is a hard doctrine for you to learn, who belong to another sect, to another faith, to another persuasion, to another discipline, and sit at the feet of another teacher. Therefore, Vaccha, I will now question you, and do you make answer as may seem to you good. What think you, Vaccha? Suppose a fire were to burn in front of you, would you be aware that the fire was burning in front of you?"

"Gautama, if a fire were to burn in front of me, I should be aware that a fire was burning in front of me."

"But suppose, Vaccha, some one were to ask you, ‘On what does this fire that is burning in front of you depend ?’ what would you answer, Vaccha?"

"Gautama, if some one were to ask me, ‘On what does this fire that is burning in front of you depend?’ I would answer, Gautama, ‘It is on fuel of grass and wood that this fire that is burning in front of me depends."’

""But, Vaccha, if the fire in front of you were to become extinct, would you be aware that the fire in front of you had become extinct?"

"Gautama, if the fire in front of me were to become extinct, I should be aware that the fire in front of me had become extinct."

"But, Vaccha, if some one were to ask you, ‘In which direction has that fire gone,—east, or west, or north, or south?’ what would you say, O Vaccha?"

"The question would not fit the case, Gautama. For the fire which depended on fuel of grass and wood, when that fuel has all gone, and it can get no other, being thus without nutriment, is said to be extinct."

"In exactly the same way, Vaccha, all form by which one could predicate the existence of the saint, all that form has been abandoned, uprooted, pulled out of the ground like a palmyra-tree, and become non-existent and not liable to spring up again in the future. The saint, O Vaccha, who has been released from what is styled form, is deep, immeasurable, unfathomable, like the mighty ocean. To say that he is reborn would not fit the case. To say that he is not reborn would not fit the case. To say that he is both reborn and not reborn would not fit the case. To say that he is neither reborn nor not reborn would not fit the case."

"All sensation . . .

"All perception . . .

"All the psychic constructions…

"All consciousness by which one could predicate the existence of the saint, all that consciousness has been abandoned, uprooted, pulled out of the ground like a palmyra-tree, and become non-existent and not liable to spring up again in the future. The saint, O Vaccha, who has been released from what is styled consciousness, is deep, immeasurable, unfathomable, like the mighty ocean. To say that he is reborn would not fit the case. To say that he is not reborn would not fit the case. To say that he is both reborn and not reborn would not fit the case. To say that he is neither reborn nor not reborn would not fit the case."

When the Blessed One had thus spoken, Vaccha, the wandering ascetic, spoke to him as follows:

"It is as if, O Gautama, there were a mighty sala-tree near to some village or town, and it were to lose ill dead branches and twigs, and its loose shreds of bark, and its unsound wood, so that afterwards, free from those branches and twigs, and the loose shreds of bark, and the unsound wood, it were to stand neat and clean in its strength. In exactly the same way doth the word of Gautama, free from branches and twigs, and from loose shreds of bark, and from unsound wood, stand neat and clean in its strength. O wonderful is it, Gautama! O wonderful is it, Gautama! It is as if, O Gautama, one were to set up that which was overturned; or were to disclose that which was hidden; or were to point out the way to a lost traveler; or were to carry a lamp into a dark place, that they who had eyes might see forms. Even so has Gautama expounded the Doctrine in many different ways. I betake myself to Gautama for refuge, to the Doctrine, and to the Congregation of the monks. Let Gautama receive me who have betaken myself to him for refuge, and accept me as a disciple from this day forth as long as life shall last."

These passages are adapted from Henry Clarke Warren, Buddhism in Translation, and E. H. Brewster, Life of Gotama the Buddha.